Forgotten, But Not By Me
by Isabella Raven
Summary: What are you afraid of, little bird he whispered in elvish, and she wrinkled her nose. Don't call me little bird.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: The characters and situations in this story are based off of those created by Professor Tolkien and owned by his heirs. Any song lyrics belong to the people credited beneath them. Kystrel is my creation. 

Author's Notes: One, I haven't gotten through the books yet, much as I've tried, and so I'm working from movie canon, for one. Two, this is definately AU, and I'm having fun, because I finally got an LotR fic to the point I feel safe letting other people read it. Other than that, just read. 

Summary: Kystrel is a thief, a good thief. She has a reputation for being one of the best, pretty much uncatchable. But when work gets thin, she takes a job she might have passed over before, an offer too good to be true. Get a set of nine rings for her employer, and anything else she sees in the house she's supposed to get them from is hers. On top of double her normal fee. Only problem is, the house in question belongs to an elf, and he's not at all inclined to let anyone get their hands on these rings ever again. 

Rating: PG-13 (subject to change, depends on how things go) 

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ 

_All of this dust   
All of this past   
All of this over and gone   
And never coming back   
All of this forgotten   
-Sarah Bettens "All Of This Past"_

The tower of Barad-dur fell with a resounding crash, and the wraiths that still survived watched, feeling their souls streching, thinning. Their power was broken, and they shrieked as they faded to dust, the nine rings of men tumbling to lay in the dust, trampled into the ground by the passage of many feet over the next few days, buried by dust over the years, forgotten by most, as were the other rings. 

But some memories are not so easily forgotten, and a small group set out to gather together the rings that had been the downfall of many, and place them in the care of someone who could be trusted to both keep them safe from mortal man, and be not tempted by the power they would represent. They searched, and they gathered together the rings that once had adorned the fingers of the wraiths, the rings of the elves, the rings of dwarves. 

They were locked away in a small chest, and given into the care of those who had found them, and remained undisturbed as the world changed around them, the magic fading till it was imperceptible to all but those few. It was only then that the legends began of a treasure trove hidden in a forest where all who travelled never returned, in a castle guarded by fierce beasts of the wood, a treasure that brought those who could claim it great power. A legend fueled by the strangeness of the woods that surrounded a house built in the trees themselves. 

It was that legend that caught the attention of a group of men who were not happy with the power they'd already ammassed, the wealth they would never have the time to spend. They set out to capture that power for themselves, yet they saw no point in risking themselves. Time and time again they sent other to do their work, and failed. Lifetime upon lifetime these nine found each other again, and sent forth more to get the treasure, never aware of the past lives they'd led. 

And now, they once more sent a thief to do their dirty work. But now they remembered, and they watched, waiting for her to succeed - but not in what she thought she'd been hired for. 


	2. The Thief and the March Warden

**The Thief and the March-Warden**

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ 

The room was dark except for patches of pale starlight, cloaking everything in shadows for the young woman who slipped silently in through the window she had carefully jimmied. She curled her lip in a sneer of disdain for the owner of the huge old place. No security system at all. She let her eyes adjust to the darker interior before padding quietly across the hardwood floor, staying close to the wall, knowing what she was here for. Her employer wanted a set of rings the owner of the house had in a private collection, and anything else she saw and could carry was hers, on top of her usual fee. Kystrel didn't ask why her employer was being generous - she needed to keep her skills sharp, and work had been thin lately. 

She paused as she reached the doorway, pressing herself against the wall. She listened, wondering if perhaps the owner had security guards instead of a security system, but when several minutes yielded nothing but an eery silence, Kystrel moved, carefully peering out into the hall. No one. She let her lips curl up in a slight smile, before ghosting across the hall, and clinging to the shadows of the door well against the interior wall. Her mottled grey clothing blended neatly with the shadows, and she worked quickly to pick the lock. 

Kystrel felt the lock click beneath her fingers at the same time an arrow thudded home in front of her face, almost nicking her nose as it passed by. The woman jumped, stifling a yelp as she spun. A man with blond hair, dressed in nothing more than a scrap of cloth wrapped around his privates, and holding a bow was standing just down the hall, another arrow knocked, and ready to loose. She froze, wondering how he'd managed to sneak up on her. She could have sworn she heard nothing to warn her of his coming. 

"I would suggest you step away from the door, thief. What lies beyond it is not for you." His voice was a low and silky smooth baritone, and Kystrel suppressed a shiver. She'd never heard anything quite so lovely, or musical before, and it unnerved her. As did the choice of weapon and accuracy of the owner in using it. Her employer had said nothing about her being in danger of becoming a pincushion! 

"I will only give you one last chance, thief." The man sounded sincere, and Kystrel forced herself to move, slowly emerging from the door well, keeping a wary eye on the bow. "Who are you, and who sent you?" 

Kystrel remained silent, judging the distance between her and the door to the room she'd broken into. It was a leap, but she thought she could make it before he could fire that weapon again. He noted the brief flicker of her eyes, and drew the bow taut, his aim fixed for a point just left of the center of her chest. 

"Do not try to run." 

Kystrel narrowed her eyes, and made her choice, bolting for the room, praying she could make it to the window before he could get to the door. A cry of pain was drawn from her as she felt the arrow impact her right shoulder, and she stumbled, her left hand coming up to clench the wound. Focusing on the window, she tried to run, but slipped on the wooden floor, and fell, jarring her shoulder as she landed. Pain jolted through her, followed closely by a blackness that yawned up and swallowed her. 

~~~ ~~~

Haldir nocked another arrow as he padded to the door of the large, empty room he used to practice his archery and sword-fighting, ready to draw and fire again if the thief was still trying to run. He slowly let the tension out of the bow string when he saw him collapsed on the floor, and returned the arrow to the quiver he'd tossed over his shoulder before coming down. It hadn't been a noise that wakened the elf, but a sense of something wrong, which meant the thief this time was better. 

He leaned the bow against the doorway before kneeling next to the thief, checking to see if he was conscious before he rolled him to look get a look at the face. He pulled off the cloth mask that had muffled the human's features, and blinked. It was a woman, and he shook his head. It had been some time since a female thief had broken into the house, and tried to get to the rings. 

Picking her up, he carried her down the hall, and up a spiralling staircase to a small room he used when he had another 'unexpected guest'. He heard the deliberate rustle as one of the others who occupied the house from time to time came down the hall, Legolas looking at him with a raised eyebrow. Haldir settled the woman onto the small bed as the other elf came into the room. 

"Another thief?" Legolas looked down at the woman, his eyes widening slightly. "A woman?" 

Haldir shrugged, pulling a box with bandages and other items needed for healing over to him, setting out a thick towel under the thief's shoulder. "It has happened before," he replied, speaking in elvish, making Legolas color slightly. The younger elf often spoke in the common tongue now, since he was the one who dealt with the locals more often than Haldir. He wanted nothing but the solitude afforded by the large house and the woodlands that surrounded it. 

"She was after the rings?" Legolas fell easily enough into the language of the all but forgotten past, leaning over to take a wad of bandaging that Haldir handed him. He pressed it to the wound as the other elf removed the arrow with a smooth pull, the woman moaning in pain as the leaf-bladed missile came free. 

Haldir waited to reply until the bleeding had slowed, packing the wound with healing herbs and honey, wrapping it tightly. Legolas helped him to bind the woman's arm to her side so she would not move it, and break the wound open during those first few days of healing. "She was picking the lock to the inner rooms. I doubt she would be after much else. I will have to question her when she wakes up." 

After cleaning up the small mess, and changing the woman into an over-sized shirt, the two elves left the room, locking it, and taking the woman's clothing with them. She would get them back once they removed any tools she might have placed in hidden pockets. And once they'd made sure she wasn't a danger to the rings they'd been guarding since the fall of Barad-dur. 

~~~ ~~~

When she woke up, it took several minutes for Kystrel to remember what had happened to her. She was in a small, unfamiliar room, and she was certainly not in her own clothing. She tried to sit up, and fell back against the pillow as a dull throbbing started up in her shoulder, reminding her that she'd been shot the night before. With an arrow, of all things. The thief groaned, the sound loud in the silence of the room. In fact, the house still sounded unnaturally quiet to her trained ears, without even sounds from the outside reaching her. 

A second try to sit up yielded better results, and she turned her head, visually inspecting the room from where she sat. One door, and a skylight in the high ceiling with no way to reach it. The bed she was in, with a pillow, and blankets, and a chest that stood against the wall opposite the door. Frowning, she slid to let her feet touch the floor. The wood was warm under her feet, and she blinked, surprised. Standing, she wobbled slightly, before reaching out a hand to steady herself against the headboard. Experimentally, she leaned her weight against the bed, trying to shift the piece of furniture. It slid along the floor easily, and she smiled, trying to move swiftly. 

She mentally cursed when she heard the door unlock, and it swung outward. Even if she had gotten the bed to the door, it would have done her no good with a door like that. And it also spoke of the room having been used to contain people before. Kystrel wondered about what kind of person had a room for prisoners in their house. 

"You should not be trying to move heavy furniture with an injured shoulder." The man stepped into the room, and she noted he was more dressed than he had been the night before, glad that she didn't blush easily. She didn't need to look like a boiled lobster in front of him. "I have brought you some food, I suggest you eat." He set the tray he carried on the trunk, and Kystrel eyed the door. She jumped when another man appeared in the doorway, as silent as the first. 

"Christ on a crutch!" The exclamation fell from her lips without conscious direction on her part, and she saw the one in the doorway smirk. She glowered, and turned, drawing back when she found the first man standing far closer to her than she'd expected. She yelped as she fell backwards, landing on her arse on the edge of the bed, the pain from her jolted shoulder bringing tears to her eyes. "Bloody hell, that hurt!" 

"As one might expect an arrow wound to do when it is not yet healed." The man reached towards her, and Kystrel jerked back. 

"Oh, no, buddy. You don't touch me." 

A slight smile played on his lips, and he raised an eyebrow. "It would be most entertaining to see you try to change the bandage on your shoulder unaided." 

Kystrel glared at him for a long moment before she relented, and shifted so the shirt that she was in could be moved away from the linen bandages over her shoulder. She frowned a moment later, her mind taking longer than it should have to process all the facts. "Wait a minute. You bandaged my shoulder up last night, right?" She watched him nod as he unwrapped the linen strips, apparently satisfied with the lack of fresh blood on them. "Which means you changed me into this shirt." 

"Actually, he was cleaning up the healing supplies while I changed you into that shirt." The man standing near the door spoke, and Kystrel turned her head to glare at him, feeling her cheeks begin to flame. 

~~~ ~~~

Haldir remained impassive as he saw the woman's face darken with embarrassment, quickly checking the wound, resalving it, and changing the bandage before rewrapping it, and binding it tightly to her side once more. "It is looking fine. You should eat, and we will discuss what you were doing in my house last night later." 

The woman looked up at him, glaring angrily. He met her gaze with a cold one of his own, turning to leave, and locking the door behind him. Legolas chuckled softly as they heard what was most likely the pillow hitting the other side of the door, and Haldir shook his head, heading down the hall. The younger elf followed, leaving the would-be thief to her breakfast while they patrolled the perimeter of the woodlands. Other than the woman, they found no signs of an actual intruder into their domain, though an uneasy feeling permeated the woods, as if an unwelcome presence watched them. 

The two elves exchanged concerned looks as they returned to the house. Someone had been waiting for the woman to come out of the house, or had been watching to see if she returned. Neither prospect made the elves any more comfortable than the other. 

"She was hired to break in." Legolas's voice was flat, and Haldir nodded. "They're back again." 

"As always." Haldir was the first in the door, and he tilted his head, listening. There was a thump from upstairs, and he smirked, going up to see if the woman was willing to talk now. He blinked when he opened the door to the room. Glass was scattered over the floor, and the woman was nowhere to be seen. He stepped cautiously into the room, the glass crunching under his feet. He spun when he heard the slam of the door, cursing when he heard the bar thud into place. 

~~~ ~~~

Kystrel panted as she trapped the one man in the room she'd been in, the effort taking more out of her than she expected. She yelped as a strong arm wrapped around her, pinning her good arm to her side. She lashed out, slamming her head backwards, doing her best to stomp on his feet. She heard the crack of bone as her head connected with something, and there was a muffled grunt of pain, the grip of the man not loosening. The thief growled, unwilling to stay here, and fought harder, trying to free her right arm to help her defend herself. 

"That would be a bad idea." His voice was quiet, and she snarled as he reached out with his free hand to remove the heavy bar of wood from the brackets that held it in place. "You are going to open the wound again if you continue to struggle." 

Kystrel growled, her struggles stopping as the door opened to reveal the rather irate blond she'd shut inside. He glared at Kystrel a moment, then looked over her head to the man holding her, speaking in a language she didn't recognize, a smirk of amusement briefly crossing his face. His attention soon turned back to her. 

"You are resourceful, thief..." 

"Damn it, my name isn't thief! I'm Kystrel." She scowled, not sure which she liked less. Her blurting out her real name, or the man calling her thief. She wrinkled her nose at the smile that graced his face a moment. 

"Kystrel. Seeing as you have just made a mess out of that room," he glanced over his shoulder, shaking his head, "we shall have to find you another, no?" 

She glared at him in response, and he shrugged, taking her good arm in a firm grip, letting the other man step away, and go deal with his bloody and broken nose. "Do you have a name, or can I just call you 'bastard'?" 

She got an annoyed look for that remark, though she did get a name out of him. 

"Haldir." 

Kystrel sighed, and kept her attention on where they were going, orienting herself in the house, hoping that he didn't have another room designed to keep prisoners. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a glimmer of metal, the gleam only briefly scene, but her mind latched onto it, analyzing that glimpse. Probably a weapon, a sword, she thought. That would fetch a nice price. Along with the fee, if she could get to those rings her employer wanted, and anything else she could carry out of here, she would be able to keep herself nicely for the next year or so. 

"Why were you breaking into my house, Kystrel?" 

His question made her whip her head around to glare at him, her eyes narrowing. "Client confidentiality, bucko." 

"So you were hired." He sounded smug, and Kystrel cursed viciously in her mind. She was slipping. Perhaps it was time to retire. This wasn't the first slip up she'd had in the last two years. 

"I never said I was hired," she snapped, her temper fraying. She had to get away from these maniacs, with their strange house, and their insistence on primitive weapons. "Look, you let me go, and I'll leave you be. It's not like I can't afford to pass up one hit." 

Haldir raised an eyebrow at her wheedling tone. "How can one trust a thief?" He paused at another door, and Kystrel let out a sigh. That tactic didn't work. He ignored her lack of response, opening the door. The room beyond it was large, and held a large bed, a chest against the wall, and a table with a pair of chairs. There was also a fireplace, and the one wall was covered with floor-to-ceiling windows. She smirked. This wouldn't be too difficult to escape from. 

He didn't stop in the room, though, leading her through to a large bathroom, with a massive skylight to let brilliant sunlight pour in over the wooden floors, and the gleaming, free-standing tub. Her brow wrinkled as he continued to a door across the room, opening it to reveal a small room, with no lock, or even doorknob visible on the inside. 

"What the...?" She struggled to get away. "You are not closing me in there! It's dark in there, and I'll bet you don't have any lights in it!" 

Haldir nodded curtly, pushing her inside with one hand, and using the other to slam the door in her face as soon as he'd pulled his hand back. 

~~~ ~~~

Haldir winced as he heard the pounding begin as soon as he'd closed the door to the linen closet. He looked around for something heavy to shove up against it, and settled on going back to his bedroom, and hauling the clothing chest in, the weighty piece of wood settling against the door with a thunk that momentarily silenced the pounding. He heard an angry curse from inside, and sighed, heading out of the room with the thief now contained. 

Legolas looked up as he came down into the kitchen, the younger elf having managed to get his nose realigned, though it looked swollen and ridiculous. A smirk twitched at the edges of his lips, and Legolas scowled, glaring at the one-time Marchwarden. "Where did you put her?" he asked, trying to shift the attention off his nose. 

"My linen closet." Haldir shrugged as he headed for the refrigerator to pull out food to cook. Legolas chuckled behind him, and the lorien elf looked over his shoulder, raising an eyebrow. "Do you find it amusing, Legolas?" 

"I doubted she liked that, especially after passing through your room with those lovely large windows." The mirkwood elf smirked, and Haldir shrugged. 

"Judging by the pounding on the door after it closed, I'd say she was none too pleased." 

Legolas chuckled again, amusement fading from his eyes all too soon, his tone serious when he spoke again. "Did you get any information from her?" 

Haldir shook his head, as the smell of cooking food filled the room. "Other than a confirmation she was hired, no." 

Legolas sighed. "Then I shall merely hope she doesn't cause any more trouble before we can question her properly." 

Haldir nodded, his focus on the meal he was making. He, like the others who lived here, had been forced to learn how to cook, and well enough that he felt comfortable eating his own cooking. 

"Good morning!" The chorus came from the front door, and Haldir heard Legolas thumping his head against the table behind him. The lorien elf chuckled, returning the greeting. 

"Though I will not say it is a good morning, I will grant you it is morning." 

Elrohir and Elledan poked their face around the doorway, sniffing the air. "Mmm. Food and..." 

"...an intruder. Another thief break in..." 

"...last night?" 

Haldir nodded, keeping his attention on the food. "And she's certainly of better caliber than anyone who's tried to steal the rings before. She broke Legolas's nose." 

"And locked Haldir in the prisoner's room." Legolas was not going to let the march-warden embaress him without returning the favor. 

The twins looked at each other, than at the two blond elves before breaking out in peals of laughter. "Our brave march-warden..." 

"...and the fair archer..." 

"...bested by a mortal!" 

"We have to see this woman...." 

"NO!" Haldir and Legolas interrupted the twins in unison, glaring at the raven-haired elves, who pouted, but didn't press the issue, sitting down at either end of the table, launching into a description of their latest escapades. 


	3. Danger and Discoveries

**Danger and Discoveries**

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ 

Angelo Dominarus sat in the shadows at the head of the long table, his fingers steepled in front of him, the heavy ring that sat on his forefinger glittering in the dim light of a single candle. Along the table sat eight other men - and women - all listening to the report of the pale, fearful man who stood at the end, under the harsh glare of a single electric light. The man had been set to watch the house they'd sent the thief to, and told to report back when she was caught, as they'd expected her to be. 

"She hasn't been seen by her friends or family since then, and she's not shown at the appointed rondevue point." He looked up towards Angelo, trying to pierce the shadows, to get a look at his master's face. "She's done no better than any other thief. I do not..." 

Angelo raised one finger, the man falling silent, trembling. "It is not for you to understand, Gydien. You merely do as you are told to do, and do not question our orders or our motives." 

"Of course, master." Gydien bowed, dry-washing his hands. The nervous habit bothered Angelo, but he didn't let his irritation tinge his voice. The man served his purpose, and for now he would live. "What else do you wish me to do?" 

"Have Lizabet watch the other woman, and wait for our orders." He paused, his lip curling as Gydien bowed again. "Now get out of our sight." 

"Yes, master. It shall be done as you say." Gydien backed out of the room, bowing with each step, until the massive doors were slammed behind him, leaving the nine in silence and shadow. Angelo reached one pale hand down to switch off the light that had kept Gydien blinded to those around the table, and they waited as their eyes adjusted. They were more comfortable in the dark. 

"How much longer must we put up with his existance?" Penara had a distinct note of disgust in her voice, and her eys met Angelo's with a dark desire written in them, a desire to see the little man squirming beneath her heel as he bled to death. 

"Patience, Penara. When he has served his purpose, you may have him to so with what you please." Angelo watched the woman subside, though he knew she was the most volotile of his companions, and the least controllable. "Is there anything anyone else wishes to bring up?" 

There was silence around the table for a while as the others thought about how best to word what they wished to say. They had not gotten this far in the human world by being brash and impulsive. 

"If the thief fails to complete either the job she was offered or the job we expect her to complete, who gets the delight of destroying her?" Davyd smiled slightly, his features a nearly blank mask, only the slightest twinge around his eyes giving away the concern her felt. 

"She is mine to kill, regardless of her success or failure, Davyd. Or have you forgotten whose line she hails from?" Angelo frowned, his eyes narrowing slightly. He'd been irritated to find that the blood of the woman who'd killed him still held strong in the world of men. And ran strongest in another woman, who could bring him back the power he craved, or could once more be his downfall. 

"I have not forgotten, my lord. I simply asked, as if she fails, it is possible the blood of the Rohan woman does not run as strong in her as orginally thought." 

"I doubt she will fail in both the tasks before her." The melodious voice of Niniva came out of the shadows across from Davyd. "And if she succeeds in either one, we will have our power returned to us. And no matter if she succeeds or fails, she will still die, so why does it matter who will kill her, Davyd? Personally, I'd much rather get my hands on that handsome pair of elves that so nearly put me out of business. I'm sure I will get much use out of them before I finally kill them." Angelo watched, as did every other man at the table, as she licked perfectly red lips, a deep breath threatening to make a nipple peak over the low-cut neck-line of her outfit. 

"Niniva, would you quit teasing the men?" Penara glared at the other woman irritably. "You will never make good on the threats you make everytime you breath in that outfit." 

Niniva shrugged. "And? They enjoy the show as much as I enjoy having their attention. No one is getting hurt." 

"Not yet, anyway. You keep doing that, and who knows. One of them may not be able to hold on to their self control. And there is no way I'm going to help you if that happens." Penara looked over at the third woman in the group, who shrugged silently. Alyca tended to stay out of the arguements between the other two women. 

"Enough." Angelo spoke silently, and they all turned to him. "We will wait, and watch. After all, we have the time." He smiled, a cold gleam in his eyes. He would have the rings, one way or another, and the last of the elves would be dead, along with the blood of Rohan and Gondor that still ran in the veins of the mortals. 

~~~ ~~~

Kystrel heard the sounds of more people in the house, and growled, kicking the door again. It didn't budge, and the thief turned her attention to the room she was in, using her fingers to explore where she was. There were shelves with what felt like towels and bedsheets on them, made of wood, which made her frown. Everything in this house she'd see so far was made of wood, except for the tub, made of stone, and that weapon. And the floor was warm under her feet, pleasently so, instead of cold like she'd expected. On top of that, she couldn't recall seeing any signs that there was electricity in the house, and the tub had been her only clue that there was possibly running water. 

She sat down on the floor, leaning against the door, her brow furrowing. The oddities of the house could be because it was old, and the owner didn't want to disturb the antique look of the place. But it was the owner that puzzled her most. He'd been able to hear her enter from his room, which had to be upstairs, from what she'd been able to glean of the layout before she entered. And she'd been silent as a cat. 

"He could have been patrolling the house, Kystrel," she whispered to herself, shaking her head as she did so, dismissing the thought almost as quickly as it had come. If he'd been patrolling the house, he'd have been wearing more than a loincloth that was barely decent. But he shouldn't have been able to hear her breaking in! She'd been nearly dead silent. 

She was startled by the sound of something moving, and managed to get halfway to her feet before the door opened. She grabbed the door frame to keep from falling over backwards, turning once she'd regained her balance. Haldir stood watching her, and she could see he held some clothing that would be more comfortable than the shirt she was in now. He handed them to her silently, then stood back, and waited. 

"What are you standing there for? I'm not changing in front of you." 

He raised an eyebrow. "You are welcome to change in the closet. Though I suspect you'll find it rather difficult to change one-handed in the dark." 

Kystrel stared at him, her jaw dropping. When she tried to speak, nothing came out but an indignant squeak, and she saw the smirk that tugged at the corners of his mouth. 

"It isn't as if I haven't seen you without clothing already." His eyes flicked briefly to the bandage. "Though if you really are that modest, I will turn away." 

~~~ ~~~

Haldir watched as Kystrel turned a rather fascinating shade of red, the theif nodding sharply. He smirked slightly, turning to face the door, listening to the rustle of cloth behind him. A soft curse told him she was having trouble, and he turned slightly, about to speak when she growled. 

"Don't you dare!" 

It was several minutes more before he heard her coming towards him, and turned, his smirk returning at the startled expression on her face. 

"How? No one else hears me," she spoke, confusion and annoyance in her tone. She glared at him through dark grey eyes, and he merely took her elbow in his hand, guiding her out of the room, and downstairs. The twins looked up, curious, when he entered, and Haldir groaned internally when he saw their eyes light up in delight. 

"Ah, so this is the woman..." 

"... who managed to best both..." 

"... the brave Haldir..." 

"... and fair Legolas!" 

He sensed Kystrel stiffen beside him, and frowned, looking down at her face. She was staring at the twins, her grey eyes wide with shock. Following her gaze, he nearly cursed. The twins had their hair pulled back into identical tails, the tips of their pointed ears visible. 

"Wha....?" She gestured towards the twins, her mouth working soundlessly. Elledan and Elrohir looked at each other in confusion, blinking when they realized they still had their hair pulled back. Legolas muttered something uncomplimentary from his seat at the table, the Mirkwood elf studiously cleaning his fingernails. 

~~~ ~~~

Kystrel decided she'd stepped into a madhouse, and when she got herself out of there, she was packing up her apartment, and leaving. She hoped April wouldn't be too miffed if she called her from the airport to tell her she was in town to stay. 

"Kystrel." She started, realizing that was the fourth time Haldir had called her name, and she looked up at him, her eyes wary. "The table is over here." He was pulling her in the direction of the table that dominated one side of the room. 

On an impulse, Kystrel reached out to brush away his hair, and she nearly shrieked, pulling away with a strength born of sudden fear, and bolted, ignoring the pain that shot through her shoulder at the sudden movement. She hit the front door, her hand scrambling at the knob, wrenching it open to flee into the descending dusk. Her bare feet pounded against the ground, her heartbeat thudding in her ears. She couldn't have seen what she thought she saw, she couldn't have! 

An arrow slammed into a tree as she passed it, and she froze, whirling. Haldir stood almost two hundred feet away, his bow drawn, another arrow tensed to fly if she decided to turn and run. She shivered, shaking her head. No. No way. There was no way he could be that accurate over that distance. She began to back away, her eyes fixed on the arrow with morbid fascination. 

~~~ ~~~

Haldir could see the fear and disbelief in Kystrel's eyes, and he silently cursed, knowing if he moved now, she'd run, and with her would go any information she had about the person or people who wanted the rings. "Kystrel. If you run, I will have no choice but to put this arrow through your heart." 

"Can't." She shook her head, her voice high-pitched, the woman verging on the edge of panic. "No one is that accurate over that distance, can't be." She was still backing away, her chest heaving with each fearful breath. Haldir remained still, noting the disturbance behind her in the trees as Legolas dropped silently down, though the Lorian elf kept his eyes fixed on Kystrel. 

"I can. Kystrel, come here. I do not want blood shed." 

She laughed, the sound just shy of hysterical, no amusement in it. She spun to run, and slammed into Legolas, the Mirkwood elf wrapping one arm around her to keep her from going anywhere. Haldir lowered the bow, coming forward as Kystrel slumped. He looked down at her, hissing at the blood staining the bandage on her shoulder, and slid his bow so it hung across his back, picking up the light body. 

He glared at the twins as he carried her back inside, the two having at least the grace to look abashed. Once upstairs, he stripped off the shirt, and the bandages, using the linen strips to staunch the bleeding. She'd ripped the wound wide open again with her running, and Haldir grimaced, carefully cleaning it once more, and rebandaging it with fresh herbs before tucking her into his own bed. 

Stalking downstairs, he scowled as he came into the kitchen, where the twins waited, their hair loose again, and hiding their ears. He said nothing, his anger palitable as he put together a tray with fruit and bread to take upstairs for Kystrel. The silence streched on, uncomfortable and strained. 

"We apologize for frightening the woman." Elledan's voice was a whisper, breaking the silence first. 

"We forgot we left our hair back." Elrohir was as apologetic and silent as his twin, the two giving Haldir penitent looks. 

The elder elf was not about to let them off easily. "Apparently you also have forgotten that elves are no longer thought to be real, and for her to see you as anything but human endangers us. Now I cannot let her leave, even once I find out who hired her, and why. I will not have your foolishness endager all of us." His tone was steely, and quiet, his eyes flashing like grey storm clouds. "And you two will not be leaving anytime soon on one of your little excursions again. You have the patrol of the grounds until I say otherwise, is that clear?" 

They nodded, sporting identical miserable expressions, and Haldir gave them a last frown before he stalked out, going back to his room. Kystrel was still passed out, and he set the tray on the table, pulling one of the chairs nearer the bed, settling into it to sleep. 

~~~ ~~~

Author's Notes: Thank you to my reviewers! 

Maaa - I update when I can... It can be quickly, or can take some time, depending on how busy I am. 

Alexis Ravenlockes - Thank you. I am glad you are enjoying it. I will be keeping it going, and I hope you continue reading, and find the rest of it as interesting as you found the first chapter. 


	4. Plans and Lies

**Plans and Lies**

~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ 

It was the silence that woke him, and Haldir blinked, his eyes focusing rapidly on the bed, and Kystrel's fearful, wary stare. He doubted she realized she was holding her breath, as she drew into a ball, trying to slide off the other side of the bed. He moved swiftly, reaching out to clamp a hand around her wrist, and she froze, her eyes fixing on the point of contact. He could feel her pulse racing, and the fine layer of sweat over her skin, see the terror lurking under the surface of her eyes, waiting to erupt. 

"I am not going to hurt you." He kept his voice calm, and even, the tone soft, yet firm. "But you cannot leave. You reopened the wound on your shoulder, and have lost much blood." 

"They can fix it at a hospital." Her voice was barely audible, anger warring with fear in her tone. "Let go of me." 

"I cannot." He met her eyes as her head snapped up, interrupting the question on her lips. "You know too much about us, and I do not know enough about who sent you." 

"I told you, I don't reveal my secrets to anyone." She glared pointedly at his hand around her wrist. "Let go of me!" She yanked at her wrist, doing nothing to loosen his grip, though he saw the expression of pain that briefly crossed her face. 

"If you continue to pull, you will only do yourself further injury." He raised an eyebrow, and she scowled, though she didn't try to pull away again. He sifted from the chair to the bed so he wouldn't put strain on her wrist, keeping it firmly about her wrist, a living shackle. "I need to know who employed you to come here, and to attempt to steal the rings, Kystrel." 

Under his fingers, he felt her pulse quicken, and sweat made her skin damp against his palm. Her eyes avoided his as she spoke, and he repressed a sigh. "I wasn't hired by anyone." The lie fell from her lips as if she was used to doing this, yet the subtle signs bespoke an uneasiness in lying. 

"You are lying to me, Kystrel," he said softly, steel underlying his tone. "Tell me who hired you." 

She met his eyes then, glaring, and mutely shaking her head. Her knees curled up against her chest, cradling her injured arm against her body, her other wrist still gripped in his hand. She watched him steadily, her eyes slightly narrowed. 

He raised an eyebrow, but let it pass. He had time. "Rest, Kystrel." He purposely pitched his voice to be soothing, and it was met with wary suspicion. "You have to rest in order to heal." 

"Are you going to let go of my wrist?" She nearly hissed the question out. 

"Will you not attempt to escape?" He countered her question with another one, and she scowled. 

"I give you my word if I do, I will not tell anyone what I have seen. No one will believe me anyway. I have no need of being thought crazy." She sighed when he still didn't let go. "Look, I'm no threat to you. You're faster, you're stronger, what the hell are you afraid of?" 

Haldir watched her, noted the fear in her face, in her voice. "What are you afraid of?" 

There was a strangled screech from Kystrel, and she glared at him, the fear melting into anger. "What is it with you? Can't you give me a fuckin' straight answer?" 

"When it suits me." 

~~~ ~~~

Kystrel clenched her hands, feeling his fingers shift to keep his grip on her wrist. He hadn't moved, and he hadn't let her go, and she was tired. She sighed, resigning herself to another night spent in this madhouse. "Look, you have my word that I won't go anywhere tonight. I'm too damned tired to make a good escape." She snorted, her anger draining out of her as the reality of her exhaustion set in. Emotional outbursts were good at tiring her out. 

Haldir held her gaze as she spoke, and nodded, his fingers slowly relaxing, and curling away from her wrist. She brought it to her chest, rubbing it as she continued to watch him. 

"Well. Are you going to lock me back in that closet?" She let a dry note creep into her voice. 

"You are welcome to sleep where you are now." She saw an amused light creep into his eyes, and narrowed her own. 

"Who's room is this?" Her tone conveyed her suspicion and wariness. 

He shrugged slightly, unconcerned. 

"Mine." 

Kystrel stared, then scrambled away from him. "I'd rather sleep in a closet." 

A smirk appeared on his face, and he raised an eyebrow. "If you wish. You know where it is. Easy enough to set it swinging closed before you step in." 

She gaped, staring at him. He was amused by this! "It's not funny! I don't sleep in other people's beds." Least of all the bed of the owner of a strange house, a man with pointy ears, and an accuracy that was not human with a weapon that should long have been out-dated. That was on the bottom of her list of things she might want to do. 

Gathering what shreds of her dignity she could muster around her, she stalked through the bathroom, and curled into a ball in the corner of the closet, soon falling into an exhausted sleep. 

~~~ ~~~

Angelo ran one hand down the smooth, bare skin of Alyca's back, his lips coming down to brush the nape of her neck. The woman turned her head, and smiled at him, green eyes sparkling slightly in the light of the candles that blazed around the huge bed they were sprawled across. 

"I always do enjoy it best when Niniva plays her little games." Alyca's voice was a soft murmur, and Angelo smiled lazily in response, waiting for her to continue. "You are always..." she drew a breath, "so delighfully frustrated." She chuckled. "Do you think the elf will really fall for her? She really didn't look all that good." 

He shrugged. "I do not need for the elf to fall for her, merely to try and keep her close for a while. Time will work against him, the longer he keeps her, the longer she keeps him distracted." He tucked a stray lock of her hair behind her ear as she propped herself up on one elbow. 

"So simple?" Alyca raised an eyebrow. "Elegant, that plan is, in its simplicity." 

"Simple always worked better than complicated. Less chances for things to go wrong." He trailed his finger down the side of her neck, and along her collarbone. "It will work, and we will have what we want, one way or another. If the elf has the misfortune to fall for her, victory will be so much the sweeter." 

"We could kill her in front of his eyes. It would be interesting to see how he reacts." Alyce tilted her head, letting her hair slide back to expose more of her neck as Angelo leaned in to nibble at her throat. "I've always wondered what would happen if you killed an elf's lover." 

"If he is so unlucky, we shall have to see." Angelo didn't let her get another word out, rolling her onto her back, his lips covering hers as the candles flared, then died. They laughed, the darkness no impediment to their fun. 

~~~ ~~~

Kystrel peered out of the bathroom, noting that the other room was empty, except for a tray with bread and cheese and fruit. She moved towards it, picking an apple out from the bowl of fruit, and biting into it. As she munched on it, she explored the room, taking advantage of the absence of Haldir. 

The windows faced south, overlooking the huge swatch of forest that surrounded the house, each panel made from dozens of hand-sized diamond panes of glass. There was a balcony, and she looked for the door, pushing on one of the panels. It opened, and she slipped outside, moving quickly to the railing. She looked over, judging the distance to the ground, shaking her head slightly. It would be fine if she had full use of both arms, but with a hole in one shoulder, and her wrist throbbing, she wouldn't be able to make that. 

"I would not suggest trying to go over the railing." She spun at the sound of Haldir's voice behind her, the apple core slipping from her fingers to drop to the ground below. He was leaning against the wall, next to the windows, watching her. 

Kystrel glared at him. "I'm not stupid." She let her eyes wander to study the outside of the building. There was nothing near the balcony that would be good for climbing, and the roof was slate - if she did get out onto the roof, she'd be hard-pressed not to fall. Even when she was younger, she'd not liked older houses with slate roofs. 

She jumped when she felt a hand wrap around her elbow, and glared at Haldir. He returned her gaze with a cool nonchalance she wished she could imitate. Kystrel growled softly when he tried to guide her back inside, jerking her arm away from him, and stalking back inside under her own power. 

"You should eat, Kystrel." He indicated the tray she'd noticed earlier. "There is bread and cheese in addition to the fruit, and it is all safe to eat." 

Kystrel snorted. "Oh. Is it? I would think you'd have poisoned it." Her tone held a strong note of acid sarcasm, and Haldir's eyes narrowed. "What?" 

Haldir said nothing, simply indicating the table, and she sighed, sitting in one of the chairs, and reaching for a loaf of bread. She watched as her host went over to a chest under a rack that held the bow she was beginning to hate, pulling out an assortment of items that had her puzzled. He sat across from her, setting the items out, and she blinked as she watched him work, carefully crafting the arrows that filled the quiver now hanging over the back of the chair he was in. 

"Why do you use such an old-fashioned weapon?" Kystrel met his eyes as he looked up, indicating the bow with a gesture of her hand, mindful of the apple she still held. "A gun is easier to fire..." She trailed off as Haldir's eyes narrowed, shivering. It felt like the temperture in the room had just dropped by several degrees. 

"That is a human weapon that causes more trouble than it solves. It allows mortals to kill each other on a whim, without having to live with the burden of seeing those they shoot die, and knowing they will have to live with that memory for the rest of their lives. I would never allow one of those monstrosities here." His voice was lethally quiet, and icy cold, his eyes boring into Kystrel's as he spoke. She gulped, and nodded, fear rising in the back of her mind. 

"But why... that particular weapon?" She mentally cursed the fearful edge to her voice, the cringe that was audible. 

Haldir shrugged. "I have always used it." He turned his focus back to the fletching he was carefully biding to the shaft of the arrow. "Why did you try to steal the rings?" 

The change of subject was abrupt, and Kystrel nearly answered the question honestly before she caught herself. "I don't know what you're talking about." 

He raised an eyebrow, not even bothering to look up. "You lie a lot, Kystrel. I wonder why? Perhaps you are afraid of the person who hired you?" 

She glared at him. "You're annoying, you know that? I'm not talking about it. What I was after and why is my business, and my business alone." 

He set the finished arrow into the quiver before looking over at her. "You broke into my home, and were trying to get into rooms no one is allowed into but myself. Someone was waiting for you to come out..." 

"What?" Kystrel frowned. "Someone was waiting for me? But I always work alone." 

He smiled slightly. "Your employer, perhaps?" 

She glared at him. "I told you..." 

"I know what you told me." Haldir leaned forward, holding her gaze with his own steely one. "I do not care what you think is my business, and what is not. You are going to tell me who hired you, and you are going to tell me precisely what they wanted you to steal." 

She snorted. "Why do you persist in saying I was hired?" 

"If you were not, why were you trying to steal from me? What those rooms contain will not bring you a lot of money from most people. The only reason to attempt to steal from this house is because you were hired to do so." He paused. "You did not think you were the first person they have hired to steal those rings, did you? No one has succeeded." 

"They're not as good as I am." She indulged in a smirk, her eyes gleaming in pride over her skills. 

"Perhaps not. But even you have failed in what you have been hired for." He smiled at her scowl. "Tell me who hired you, Kystrel." 

"Go to hell." Kystrel scowled, determined to ignore him. "I'm not talking to you." 

"Then perhaps you will talk to Legolas." He leaned back into his chair, watching her reaction. "Or the twins." Her eyes widened, and he held back a smirk, keeping silent. 

"You wouldn't." 

"I would not what?" 

"Let those... let them near me." 

"Why not?" He met her wary gaze, amused by the annoyance in her eyes. She glared back at him, and he raised an eyebrow. 

"Fine. I was hired to break into this house to steal a bunch of rings. I don't know why, I don't know who, and I don't care." 

~~~ ~~~

Haldir watched her, listening to her tone of voice, noting the subtle signs of lying that showed on her face. He sighed slightly, wondering if she ever told the whole truth. "Who hired you, Kystrel?" 

"I told you, I don't know!" She glared at him, and he kept his expression carefully neutral. 

"As you say." He left it at that, standing, replacing the supplies he used to make his arrows, and returned to the table, coming to stand in front of Kystrel. "I need to look at your shoulder again, then you will come downstairs with me." 

"Why should I?" She crossed her arms across her chest as best she could. "What if I refuse?" 

"Then I shall have to lock you in the closet again." He shrugged, retrieving what he needed to rebandage her shoulder. "It is up to you." 

She scowled as she uncrossed her arms, turning away from him as she shifted the shirt to allow him access to her shoulder without having to take the shirt off altogether. "I'll come downstairs," she muttered as she turned back around, letting him check the wound, and rebandage it. 

"Good." He moved quickly, nodding to himself on the condition of her shoulder. It hadn't been set back too badly by the excitement of the day before. "You are lucky. Other than loosing more blood, you did not do any further damage to your shoulder last night." 

"Lucky." She snorted. "It still hurts like hell." 

"As one would expect when you jar it." He bandaged it again, and she rearranged the shirt again. "I will have Legolas find another set of clothing for you so you can change." He returned the supplies to their chest, and cupped a hand under her elbow, urging her out of her seat, and through the door. "He was cleaning up your mess. You should be able to sleep in there again tonight, after the skylight is covered." 

"Yay." She sounded distinctly unamused, and a smile twitched at the corners of his mouth. "Back to the cell. Why don't you just press charges, like a normal person?" 

"I am not a 'normal person' as you put it." 

"No shit, Sherlock," she muttered as they came to Legolas's door. It opened before Haldir could knock, Legolas smirking slightly as he held out a shirt and leggings to Kystrel. "Thanks. I think." She watched him with wary eyes. "You're not....?" 

"You are welcome for the clothing, and yes, I am an elf, like the others here." Legolas chuckled at the annoyed expression on her face, switching to elvish as he addressed Haldir. "She has the most amusing expressions, my friend, does she not?" 

Haldir snorted. "Perhaps. I would like nothing more than to not have to see her face any longer, but she is more stubborn than any other human I have met." 

"And you cannot let her simply leave." 

Haldir shot the younger elf an annoyed look. "No." He spoke in common, and Kystrel looked up, her head tilted. 

"What were you two talking about?" She had a suspicious look in her eyes, and Haldir noticed Legolas grin out of the corner of his eye. 

"Nothing that concerns you, Kystrel," he replied, before Legolas could get a word out, fixing the other elf with a warning glance. He herded her back to the room he'd originally locked her in, giving her some small amount of privacy while she changed. 

~~~ ~~~

Author's Notes: Thank you to my reviewers! 

detsiwt m'i - I try to update as often as possible - but I tend to write long chapters, so, bear with me, it can take up to two weeks for an update. At least, for this story. I'm glad you're enjoying it, and yes, Kystrel is going to remain wary of the elves for now. More than that, I cannot say, or I give away too much. *smiles* 

lucy - I'm glad you think so. I hope I do not dissapoint, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story. And I will update as quickly as I can, I promise. 

jamie roberts - thank you, my dear. I do try, I do try. But you haven't finished reading, please do so soon! *grins* 


	5. Discussions of Honor, Good and Evil

**Discussions of Honor, Good, and Evil**

* * *

Kystrel followed Haldir downstairs, her bare feet making little noise on the smooth hardwood of the floor. She caught a glimpse of the twins out of the corner of her eye as they passed the kitchen, and shuddered, scurrying after the blond elf. "Better the devil you know, 'Tre," she muttered to herself. 

"We're not evil, Kystrel." Haldir didn't turn around as he spoke, leading her into a large room that bore the look of a place meant for arms practice. The only windows were near the ceiling, and there were racks on the walls that held a variety of bladed weapons. Haldir turned to face her, watching her through grey eyes. "Though we do guard artifacts that were used to cause great evil, in a far different time, that doesn't make us evil." 

Kystrel stared at him, frowning in confusion. "What are you talking about? Artifacts of evil?" She snorted. "Sounds like something out of a fantasy novel. This is reali life. Good and evil don't exist. Just people trying to make ends meet, with some doing better than others." 

Haldir raised an eyebrow. "Those rings you were hired to steal. Do you know what they are?" 

"A bunch of bits of gold that are being given a far greater value by a bunch of people than they actually have." Kystrel shrugged. "Worth a few quid at a pawn shop, but nothing spectacular." 

"They were touched by a great evil, and anyone who wears them becomes a shadow of what they were, twisted and dark. No longer alive, they exist in a twilight world, serving the whim of the ring." 

Kystrel stared at him a moment, then began to laugh, falling to the floor with a thump. "You really believe that kind of nonsense! Stories like that are meant to scare little children and gulliable fools. No one really believes them these days. Magic? The undead?" She shook her head. "They're not real. Just fairy stories told to keep the masses happily entertained." 

"Are they?" Haldir watched her a moment. "And elves? Are they simply a 'fairy story to keep the masses happily entertained'?" 

Her laughter faded, and she glared up at him. "I wish I could say they were. But those... twins, for lack of an insult coming to mind, ensured that was a comfortable fantasy thrown out the window." 

Haldir offered her his hand to help her up, and she regarded it a moment before taking it. He pulled her to her feet as he spoke. "And good and evil are no less real than elves. Mortal man has forgotten that." 

"I still don't think good and evil exist. Only people with intentions that don't hold up to some archaic code of conduct that arbitrarily decides what is 'good' and what is 'evil'." She pressed her lips together. "No, real evil and real good don't exist." 

"Then consider that the intentions of those who hired you were far less than honorable, and that they intended harm by you bringing them those rings." Haldir gave her a penetrating look, and Kystrel scowled. 

"I don't give a damn about honor! Honor doesn't put food on my table. Honor doesn't keep a roof over my head and clothes on my back." She sneered at him, her expression hard and bitter. "Honor is for dreamers and fools. I am neither." 

Haldir stared at her in shock, but Kystrel wasn't done. 

"Why do you think they say there is no honor among theives? Because we're too damned busy trying to stay alive to give a shit about something exaulted like honor. Food in our bellies, a roof over our heads, and clothes on our backs. And damned romantic idealists think they can paint a picture so much brighter than that. The thief with a heart of gold. Rob the rich and give to the poor. Hah! A thief's favorite charity is their own comfort. Maybe you bloody high-and-noble snots never thought of that. You wonder why people want to steal a little bit of pretty trinkets, with your tag of evil?" She met his eyes, a cold grey gaze boring into his. "Because the people who want them pay well enough for a thief to retire to some place warm, where we never have to worry again where our next meal is coming from." 

"For how long?" Haldir asked quietly. "The rest of your life?" 

"I should bloody well hope so! I have no intention of coming back to bloody England again. And my friends and family can come visit me in Tahiti." 

"And how long do you think your life would be if they got those rings?" Haldir walked over to the weapons on the wall as he spoke, looking them over. He picked out a slim sword, raising an eyebrow at Kystrel. "I doubt they'd let you live long enough to collect your feee, Kystrel." 

"They?" She frowned. "What's this 'they' business? Only one person wants them, that hired me, anyway. And he wasn't working as an agent for someone else." 

"Did he tell you that?" Haldir took down another sword, and came back to where she was standing. He held the first out to her hilt first. 

Kystrel stared at the weapon he held out for a moment, then transferred her disbelieving gaze to his face. "What the fuck do you expect me to do with _that_?" 

"To learn how to use it, Kystrel." His voice was calmly matter-of-fact. "You didn't answer my question. Did he tell you he wasn't an agent for someone else?" 

"Hell no. I'm not learning how to use a bloody sword! There isn't a use for it, once I get the hell out of here." Kystrel glared at him, ignoring the proferred blade. "And as for the man who wanted the rings, I do have a little care for the truth of the stories of a potential client. I want to be sure they can pay my fee. His bank account can cover more than what he offered. An agent won't have the money in the bank. They'll have it in cash. No way to put them in prison alongside the thief and their employers, most of the time. No prrof."

* * *

Haldir's eyes narrowed, and he stalked back to the rack, hanging the sword up again. He said nothing as he stood a moment. Kystrel had no warning before he turned and struck. The thief yelped as the flat of his blade smacked her across the hip, staring at him in shock. 

"What the bloody hell was that for?" She rubbed her hip with her free hand, glaring at him now. 

He raised an eyebrow, the expression clear as words. _What do you think, thief?_

She backpeddled away from him, scuttling sideways as he feinted left. He herded her into a corner, the only escape route blocked by him. Kystrel watched the blade warily, licking her lips. 

"What now, Haldir? You have me trapped." She gave him a questioning look. "Do you ask me questions I won't answer with the promise to kill me if I don't? Or maybe you just kill me, and get me out of your hair?" She tilted her head, shifting her weight slightly on her feet. 

"No..." He was cut off by Kystrel carrying through on her shifting weight. Her foot connected with his hip as Haldir twisted rapidly, barely avoiding having her kick him in the groin. 

Kystrel took advantage of the brief distraction, darting past him, heading for the door. He ran after her, grabbing her good arm with his free hand. She spun, reaching up to scratch at his face, and he dropped the sword to the floor, grabbing her wrist before her hand could connect. 

"Let go of me, you pointy-eared freak." She almost hissed the words, her eyes narrowed. "And don't you think I'm going to touch one of those ancient weapons of yours except to carry it to a fence who'll sell it to a less than scruplious antique weapons collector." 

"You're not leaving, Kystrel." His voice was steely, and his expression brooked no arguement. "And you will tell me everything you know about the man who hired you to steal the rings." 

"It will be a cold day in hell if I ever listen to you." Kystrel glared at him, trying to free herself from his grip. He simply increased the pressure on her wrist, making her winces. "God damned bastard, that hurts!" 

"Expected." He held her gaze, saying nothing more. A battle of wills made the room crackles with tension, neither speaking or moving a muscle. 

"Am I interrupting something?" Legolas was leaning against the doorframe, watching them with an amused smirk on his face. 

Haldir didn't move, except to flicker an eyebrow at Kystrel in unspoken question, the stalemate broken temporarily. The corner of her mouth quirked upwards, and they turned towards Legolas in perfect unison. The Mirkwood elf straightened, his amusement fading rapidly. He took off with a yelp as they both chased after him, tearing down the hallway towards the front door. It slammed behind him, the blond elf taking off towards the boundries of the forest. 

Haldir stopped in the middle of the entrance, a smirk on his face. Kystrel skidded to a halt beside him, stumbling as she did so. He caught her, his arm around her waist to steady her.

* * *

Kystrel looked up, still grinning, her cheeks flushed. He was smiling, his eyes sparkling with amusement. The light pouring in from the skylight behind him created a halo from his golden hair, and she unconsciously licked her lips. Their gazes never broke as Haldir lowered his head towards hers. 

His lips were soft against hers, and she reached up her good hand, tangling her fingers in his hair. Her mouth opened beneath his, and his tongue invaded, tangling with hers, his arms tightening around her waist. A moment later, they parted, Kystrel staring up at him with wide eyes. 

The crack of flesh meeting flesh echoed through the entrance hall, and Haldir stared after her as she ran up the stairs. She slammed the door to the room she'd first woken up in, her breath coming in sharp gasps. 

"Kystrel Blaise Tirith, what the bloody hell did you go and let that happen for?" she whispered to herself, one hand coming up to touch her lips. "Just because he's handsome doesn't mean a damned thing. You don't know anything about who - or even what - he is, he's holding you prisoner here.... and you have a job to think about." She took a deep breath, trying to focus her thoughts. 

"Come on, 'Tre. Think about retiring to Tahiti. Warm, sunny. Cabana boys. Think about cabana boys."

* * *

Haldir stalked to the sparring room, his mind in turmoil. He picked up the sword, carefully placing it back on its rack before going up to his room, and pulling out the gear for arrow making. Settling at his table, he laid out the supplies carefully, concentrating on the familiar motions. 

His mind worked at the problem of Kystrel as he mechanically wrapped fletching and arrowheads. _She's irritating, stubborn, rude, and a thief after the rings. She's mortal. She doesn't listen very well, and she refuses to give me the information I need on her contact. _

And you like her. That voice sounded like Legolas, and he scowled. 

_I do not, and you can be quiet!_ he replied irritably. 

_Denial doesn't suit you._ The voice refused to be quiet. _You like her, Haldir. _

I do not! He set down the arrow he was working on, his eyes narrowing. _There are too many flaws in her personality that will cause trouble... _

If you allow them to. 

... and she's mortal. 

Arwen married a mortal. 

Haldir's jaw clenched. _And she died when Ellesar did. _

So? 

She could afford to. She wasn't guarding the remaining evils of Middle Earth. 

Actually, your logic is flawed there, Haldir. Arwen died because she let herself die. You wouldn't. Too much a sense of responsibility. 

"Shut up!" Haldir's voice was full of irritation, and he had a dark expression on his face. 

_You know I'm right._

* * *

Penara watched the forest from the driver's seat of a small sports car. There was a darkly-dressed figure near the edge, and she shook her head. Gydion. What was he doing out here? "Did we not tell you to remain at your flat, where the little bitch theif can contact you? Stupid man," she muttered, pulling out her cell phone. 

"Angelo Dominarus's office, Domine Shipping. Can I help you?" The perky voice of the secretary nearly made Penara growl. 

"I need to speak with him immediately. Penara Mordaren." 

"One moment, please. I'll see if he'll take your call. He's in a very important meeting right now." 

Penara supressed the urge to snort sarcastically. She knew he's take the call. No meeting with pathetic humans was as important as the Nine. And she'd have to remember to tell him his company had awful music for those on hold. Perky and modern just wasn't Penara's cup of tea. 

"This had better be important, Penara. I was in a meeting with the CEO of my rival, working on details of buying them out." 

"Gydion's back at Sherwood Forest. Did you give him orders to do so?" 

There was silence on the other end of the line a moment. "Make sure he returns to his flat, Penara. Immediately. We do not need the elves finding him yet." 

"Of course, Angelo." She paused. "Shall I call a meeting tonight?" 

"No. We will meet when we usually do, Penara." 

"Until then, Angelo." 

"Goodbye, Penara." There was click as Angelo hung up, and she flipped the phone shut. 

"You'll wish you'd never been born, Gydion." Penara spoke to herself softly, her expression cruel.

* * *

Author's Note: Sorry this took so long to update! I've been neglecting it. looks sheepish My only excuse was finals, followed by a trip to Ohio. And you can blame that trip for about half this chapter. And the slightly faster plot. Never write stories when in the presence of one of your readers. It warps the plans. Of course, it also resulted in plans for a sequel or two, so.... shrugs 

Thank you to detsiwt m'i, KnowInsight, Almost Funny, lucy, and ElvenPrincessSapphire for your reviews on the previous chapter, and I hope everyone enjoyed this one, and enjoys the next one as much! 


	6. Embaressing Moments and Locked Doors

**Embaressing Moments and Locked Doors**

* * *

Haldir walked into the kitchen, a frown that was nearly a scowl on his face. It deepened when he saw Legolas, the other elf working at making dinner. 

"Is Kystrel still up in her room?" Legolas didn't look up, preparing a salad. 

"She is." Haldir paused. "When did you become my conscious?" 

Legolas gave him a strange look as Haldir sat at the table. "What are you talking about, Haldir?" He spoke in elvish, trying to calm the elder elf. 

Haldir shook his head. "I do not wish to talk about it." No, he was not telling the younger elf about what happened earlier. He'd never hear the end of it. "What have you decided to inflict upon us?" 

Legolas shot him an annoyed look. "I'm not that bad a cook. Salad, rice, and roasted venison, since you asked so politely," he replied with an edge of sarcasm to his voice, pulling out a nicely-browned haunch of venison. "Are you bringing Kystrel down, or shall I go up to fetch our resident thief?" He turned, raising an eyebrow in question. 

Haldir waved a hand, standing. "I'm perfectly capable of telling her that dinner is ready, Legolas." He stalked out of the room, padding silently up the stairs to the unlocked and unbarred door to Kystrel's room. 

_Oh, brilliant, Marchwarden. You left her the perfect escape route. Do you really think she'll still be here?_

Haldir scowled, promising himself he'd smack the Mirkwood elf. He wasn't allowed to be the elder elf's conscious. 

_Will you? Really, Haldir, you're becoming much too easily irritated. _

Shut up! Haldir opened the door, rapidly searching the room. Kystrel was curled up on the bed, asleep. _See? She's still here._

You're lucky she is. If she'd thought about it, she'd be long gone. And none of the others would have noticed. They were all outside, after all. 

Haldir tucked a blanket around Kystrel, leaving her to sleep, and locking the door behind him. _She wouldn't have gotten far. _

Would she? 

How many times do I have to tell you to be quiet? Haldir gritted his teeth, his hands wrapping around the railing as he reached the top of the stairs. 

Legolas appeared at the kitchen door. "Dinner's ready." 

Haldir's grip tightened convulsively, and a sound suspiciously like a growl emerged from his throat. Legolas's eyes widened, and he vanished back into the kitchen, as the elder elf stormed to his room.

* * *

Kystrel woke slowly, her muscles complaining of being in one position all night long. As she stretched, her feet tangled in a blanket, and she frowned. Who tucked me in? 

_Probably your cute new boyfriend._

She blinked, wondering when she'd descended the road to insanity. 

_Come on, Tre. You're not insane. _

He is NOT my boyfriend. 

Sure he's not, Tre. April's voice sounded smug. _And that kiss meant nothing to you, did it?_

Kystrel scowled. _Don't you start. Haldir is not my boyfriend. _

Whatever you say, Tre. 

Throwing off the blanket, she stalked to the door, and tried to push it open. It wouldn't budge, and her eyes narrowed. 

She drew in a deep breath. "HEY, BASTARD! YOU POINTY-EARED FREAK, UNLOCK THE FUCKING DOOR!" 

A moment later, the door flew open, and Kystrel drew back. Haldir's grey eyes were blazing with fury, and he was dressed in nothing more than the loincloth she'd first seen him in. Her fear lasted only a few seconds, before her anger flared again. 

"Do not ever yell at me like that again, thief." His voice was a menacing growl, meant to intimidate. 

Kystrel's eyes narrowed, and she brought up a finger to poke him in the sternum. "Listen, you bloody bastard. I'm not going to be able to go anywhere without one of you pointy-eared bastards catching me before I get out. You don't need to lock the sodding door!" She paused, glaring. "And my _name_ is _Kystrel!!_"

* * *

Haldir glowered at Kystrel, his temper barely harnessed. He spoke quietly, his voice strained. "Until you can prove you are trustworthy, _Kystrel, this door will be locked at night. Until I wake up in the morning. Without a __human_ screaming loud enough to wake an orc!" His voice rose steadily, until he was nearly shouting. 

"The last time I heard someone yell that loudly was Aaragorn at Minas Tirith, after Arwen arrived." Legolas was standing at the top of the stairs. "I wasn't aware you two were..." 

"Shut it!" Kystrel was as red in the face as Haldir, the two speaking in unison, then glaring at each other. 

Legolas shrugged, smirking as he walked down the hall to his room. Haldir clenched his hands into fists, resisting the urge to strangle the Mirkwood elf. He glared at Kystrel a moment, turning his anger onto a different target, and frowned when she didn't react. She had an interested expression on her face, her eyes trailing up his body. 

He let out a strangled sound, and stalked back to his room with his dignity drawn about him like a cloak. A whistle reached his ears, and he slammed the door behind him.

* * *

Kystrel grinned when she heard the door slam, stretching again with a yawn before padding down the stairs. It wasn't difficult to find the kitchen, and she poked around until she found something to eat, munching on the palm-sized piece of bread as she wandered through the halls. She poked her head into open doors as she passed them, pausing to evaluate the contents for their worth. Most of it was worth little to her, tapestries and artwork she couldn't recognize. 

But there were some items that made her grin in anticipation. Antique weapons and some recognizable antique ceramics. She paused in front of a closed door, wiping her hands on the leggings she was wearing. Behind that door were the rings she'd been hired to steal. 

Licking her lips, she looked around, checking for any of the house's occupants before she ghosted up to the door. Her fingers ran along the seperation between door and jamb, checking for triggers. Nothing. Kneeling, she ran her hands down the jamb itself, searching for any indication of a motion sensor. 

"Nothing. And no signs of pressure triggers. How the hell did he notice I came in?" she muttered to herself as she stood, backing away from the door. The rings could wait. She wanted to know how Haldir had managed to know she had broken in. _Next, check the room I came in through._

* * *

Haldir watched as Kystrel searched for alarms on and around the door behind which the artifacts of Middle Earth were kept. He'd berated himself for leaving her door unlocked and open once he was in the safety of his own room, and hurriedly dressed. She was no longer in her room, and he'd feared she'd left, until he sensed someone was approaching the locked room. 

He'd gone downstairs, ready to stop her from breaking into the room, and found her regarding the door from the center of the hall. Ducking into an alcove on an instinct, he'd given her the chance to try to take the rings, and run. But she hadn't. 

"Lost, Kystrel?" he asked quietly, and she spun with a startled expression on her face. 

It was there only briefly before her normal wary mask settled into place. "No. How do you do that?" 

"Then I suggest we return to the main part of the house. There's nothing of interest here for you." He ignored her question, indicating the hall behind him, waiting for her to move. "Have you eaten yet this morning?" 

Kystrel didn't move immediately, though she nodded in answer to his question. "I had one of those small loaves of bread out of the box. Whatever they are, they're pretty filling." 

Haldir blinked. "Lembas bread. You ate a whole loaf?" 

"What?" Kystreal scowled. "Is there something wrong with that?" 

Haldir shook his head, still surprised that Kystrel had eaten a whole loaf of the elven bread. He took her elbow gently, leading her back towards the main part of the house. In the kitchen, he directed her to a chair as he made his way toward the cold box. 

"What are those markings on the weapons on the wall? I've never seen anything like them." Her head was tilted slightly to one side, like a bird's, her eyes following as he brought back a plate of fruit to the table. "They're strange, too. Pretty, but strange." 

"They're elvish." Haldir sliced an apple neatly into quarters, offering her a piece. "I could teach you how to read them." 

_And perhaps you will read the accounts of what those rings did, and tell me who has hired you to steal them. Before they send yet another thief into my house,_ he added mentally. 

"Hmm. Maybe." She kept watching him, and he frowned, wondering what was going on in her head.

* * *

Kystrel watched as Haldir sliced the apple, declining his offer of a piece. She blinked as he offered to teach her how to read the words on the weapons. _Now what is he up to?_

"Maybe." She noticed his discomfort with her constant stare, and continued to watch him out of a peverse desire to watch him squirm. _Uncomfortable, oh elf? Serves you right for locking me up. I'm going to figure out your system anyway, and then I'm retiring to Tahiti. Where there are no arrogantly handsome elves. _

Of course you are, Tre. And the sky is green. 

Shut up! Kystrel snapped mentally, an irritable scowl crossing her face. _I AM going to retire where it is warm and sunny, and there are hordes of gorgeous men that don't want to lock me up and throw away the key over a few cheap trinkets. _

And what if he's telling you the truth, Tre? That those rings ARE more than they appear. What will you do then? 

Kystrel nearly growled, pushing away from the table. 

"Where do you think you're going?" Haldir's voice jerked her back to reality, and Kystrel's eyes focused on the blond elf. 

"Anywhere that's not here. Preferably somewhere warm and sunny with cabana boys, but since you are so determined to deny me that, oh elf, I shall have to make do with that prison cell of a room, now won't I?" The sarcasm in her voice was thick enough to cut with a knife. She stalked away, not giving Haldir a chance to say anything in reply. 

She was stopped at the door by a hand locking around her upper arm with an iron grip. Kystrel spun to face angry grey eyes, her own flashing dangerously. 

"You are not going anywhere alone, thief. You will stay within my sight, or that of Legolas or the twins at all times while you are out of your room. And you will be locked in at night." 

"The hell I will!" She wrenched her arm free painfully, fleeing the room. 

_Running away again, are we, Tre? You're not going to get laid playing hard to get._

"What?!" Kystrel came to a dead halt, her eyes wide. _You have bloody got to be kidding me!_

* * *

Haldir locked gazes with Kystrel, seeing the temper seething in her grey eyes. She was dangerous left alone, and he knew he had to prevent that. 

"You will go nowhere alone, human. You will be within my sight, or the sight of Legolas or the twins, when you are outside of your room. And the door will be locked at night." _As much for my sanity as for the safety of the artifacts._

"The hell I will!" She ripped her arm from his grip, and ran, stopping a short distance away with a strangled sound. 

He stalked after her, taking her arm to guide her back to the kitchen again. None of the other three were within sight, and he wasn't about to risk her running off. 

"Let go of me!" She elbowed him the ribs with her injured arm, and he saw a look of pain flash across her face. 

"Come sit in the kitcen while I finish my breakfast. You are not going anywhere without an escort." She glared at him, and he could see her contemplating defience. "If you do not, I will leave you locked in that room except for meals." And maybe I will have some peace and quiet! 

"Fine." She paused. "Do you guys have a T.V.? Or a stereo?" 

Haldir gave her an odd look as they returned to the kitchen. "No. Of course not." 

"Shit." Kystrel scowled as she sat down again. "Life is going to suck."

* * *

Angelo glared at Gydeon as the man cowered and grovelled in front of him. "Pathetic," he muttered. 

"Pathetic, and rapidly becoming useless," added Penara. "Why you keep him around is beyond me." 

"Because we need someone to keep an eye on both the thief, and someone to keep an eye on Ellyson," Edward Kane pointed out. Penara nodded to concede the point to the stock broker. "Sura has her hands full with those twins, and she won't deign to assist us with the other two until she's certain the Grey twins pose no threat." 

"Lizabet could be pulled from watching Ellyson, and placed to watch for Tirith, and we can send Gydeon to watch Ellyson. It's simple enough for him." Niniva gave Gydeon a nasty look. "If that meets with your approval, of course, Angelo," she added, turning her simpering gaze on their leader. 

There was a nasty smirk on the darkly handsome face that made even Alyca shudder. "Oh yes. Bring our dear Surano here, where she can watch the forest with the elves." He paused, his gaze locking with Niniva's. "And they won't feel a thing, will they, dearest Niniva?" 

There was silence, even Gydeon falling quiet and still. Angelo's fist hitting the table sounded like a thunderclap, making everyone jump, and glasses rattle. 

"You idiot! Bringing Surano in now will destroy our carefully laid plans. If you would have someone else watch the forest, watch it yourself, Niniva. And never suggest something so incredibly _stupid_ again!" 

Niniva cowered, stuttering as she tried to apologize, but Angelo ignored her, turning the meeting to other matters. Such as the upcoming buyout of Ellyson's business by Edward.

* * *

Author's Note: I am doing pretty good on getting more chapters written, so hopefully this won't take forever to update anymore. And thank you to Zammy, The Lady of Light, and Anonymous for your reviews! 


	7. Homesick and Sunlight

**Homesick and Sunlight**

* * *

"Not a bloody thing!" Niniva was scowling, ignoring the lines it was sure to leave on her face. She didn't care at this point. "Not even the bloody twins have stirred out of that fucking house and bedeviled forest in the last fours months except for that brief expedition three bloody months ago to the local village. And that was just the Mirkwood fuckhead." Her arms were crossed over her ample breast, and a low growl came from the irritated fashion designer. 

Angelo leaned back in his chair, a slight smirk on his face. It was amusing to see Niniva in this state, but more importantly, his plan was working flawlessly so far. The thief was still in the house, working her way into their lives simply by being there. "Patience, Niniva. We have the time to wait." 

Niniva graced that with merely a growl, and an angry glare. 

"And once they let down their guard, we take the thief." Alyca chuckled softly, not looking up from the pile of photographs she had in front of her. "One distraction for fool Ellysson, and one for the elves. Edward takes what he wants, and we get the information we need from the thief to take what we all want." 

Niniva's good mood appeared restored by that prospect, and she nearly purred. "Ah, yes. I shall _most_ enjoy dealing with those two." 

"Are you still holding a grudge against them for trying to put you out of business, Niniva?" Penara's face was illuminated by the screen of her laptop as she typed up her notes for an arguement in her current case. "Or are you still upset over the mess they made of your warehouses last lifetime around?" She looked up, raising an eyebrow. 

"All of it, Penara." Niniva was glaring at the lawyer. "Every single time they've tried to bring me down, I will repay them for." 

"Tried?" There was a chuckle from the narrow-faced woman. "I believe the only time they've failed to succeed was this most recent time." 

"Enough." Angelo spoke before Niniva could retort. "We know well what those two have done. To all of us. But that does not matter at the moment." He leaned forward again. "When they trust the thief not to run, we must be ready. And this pointless bickering does not help us. It helps them." He met the eyes of each of the others, and most of them bowed their head graciously. Alyca raised an eyebrow, and Penara was already back to her typing, ignoring him altogether. "Now, what was the report from Surano?"

* * *

Kystrel flipped through the book, scowling at the neat elvish script on the page. She wondered if she could get away with flinging the thing across the room, and glanced up, looking for anyone else in the room. She caught sight of Haldir out on the lawn, and her scowl deepened. _If only I could throw it at him!_ The Marchwarden was frustrating her no end. He was still trying to wheedle the name of her employer out of her, and she was getting to the point she was tempted to give him a name just to get him out of her hair. 

_And you think he's handsome, and ever since you prooved you could understand elvish, he's been avoiding you. You don't like that. _

Bollocks! Kystrel's scowl deepened. _I don't care if he walks off a cliff. _

Liar. 

With a growl, she slammed the book shut, and stalked towards the door, contemplating trying to get outside again. She hadn't been let outside, even on one of the balconies, since she'd tried to run, and nearly gotten another arrow in someplace vital for her troubles. 

_Trying to get someone's attention, are we?_

"No, I'm not," she muttered, stalking through the hall. 

"You're not what?" Haldir's voice came from behind her, and Kystrel spun, glaring at him. 

"None of your business!" she snapped. 

He raised an eyebrow, waiting for an answer to his question. Kystrel turned back the way she'd been going, and stalked away, trying to ignore him. 

_You like him, Tre. Why won't you admit it? _

Maybe because he's an arrogant, irritating bastard who won't let me out of this fucking house! The only room in this house I don't know the inside of other than the bedrooms of the other elves is the one room I need to get into to get those bloody rings. And I can't get near THAT without one or another of those damned elves being in my way before I can even figure out the security system, much less disarm it and get in. 

She kicked at the wall as she came to the end of the hallway, and looked out the window at the enticing nearness of the woods. _Just once, I'd like to get out there, even if I don't have the bloody rings, and get some sun. Hell, even if it's only on his bloody balcony, with a guardian watching over me the whole fucking time. I just want out in the bloody sun!_ Kystrel slid down the wall next to the window, not noticing the tears on her face. 

_And if you quit acting like a sulking little brat who is as likely to bolt as not around him, he'll give you a bit more freedom._

Kystrel snorted. _The hell he will. He'll never let me leave, anyway. And that's what I want to do! _

Is it? 

She clenched her hands into fists, wishing she could wrap her hands around the annoying voice in her head, and strangle it. _You know, it doesn't matter, does it? Whether I want to leave or not, whether I like him or not. Because the only way I'll get out of here is without the rings, which means I break contract, and I can't do that. Not and retire. Hell, if I break contract, no one will hire me again! And I like my line of work.. No matter what some elf with a pole up his ass thinks. _

So make the most of things here. He's handsome, and he's availible. And neither of you are going anywhere. 

No. Kystrel set her jaw stubbornly, her sight blurring and giving her no chance to ignore the angry tears. _I am not staying here. Hell, if I have to, I WILL break contract, and then I'll call April, and I'll go over to the States. _

And what will you do then? 

"I'll figure out something," she whispered to herself. "But I'm not staying here."

* * *

Haldir had followed Kystrel, frowning when he saw the tears on her face, tears she paid no attention to. 

_Tears you caused._ The voice was almost accusing, and his eyes narrowed. _You know you caused them, Haldir. She's been trapped inside for months. You haven't even let her out on the balconies. And they're designed such that she wouldn't be able to escape from them without causing herself injury. _

And what do you propose to do about it? I can't let her go. She'll just come back after the rings again. Or she'll be killed, and they'll send someone else. 

I thought you didn't care about her. That's what you've been telling yourself for the last several months. Why should you care if they kill her? 

A snarl crossed his face a moment. _She became my charge as soon as she found out what we are. I have a responsibility to keep her alive. _

Is that all? There was a hint of skepticism in the voice. _You care for her, Haldir, and you are a stubborn fool for not admitting it! Maybe if she didn't feel like you were about to run rough shod over her, she might be more willing to talk to you! _

Hah! She's more stubborn than anyone, mortal or elf, that I have ever known. 

I know someone just as stubborn as she is. 

Kystrel's whisper distracted Haldir from his arguement. 

"I'll figure something out. But I won't stay here." She reached up to wipe tears from her face with both hands, before pushing off the wall. He cleared his throat, stepping out of the doorway he'd ducked into earlier without noticing, and her eyes narrowed. "How long have you been there?" 

"Only a moment." Haldir paused, thinking a moment. "Would you like to have lunch out on the balcony?" 

_See, that wasn't so hard, was it? _

Shut it!

* * *

Kystrel's brow furrowed in confusion when she heard Haldir ask her if she wanted to have lunch on the balcony, certain she was hearing things. "What?" 

The elf raised an eyebrow. "I asked if you wanted to eat lunch on the balcony today." 

"Sounds good to me." She shrugged. "If you're not afraid I'll go and jump off or something." 

Haldir chuckled. "No. I'm sure you wouldn't do something like that." He gestured for her to proceed him, and she ambled along the hallway, pausing as he ducked into the kitchen, coming out with a tray of fruit, cheese, and sausage, with a loaf of bread balanced pecariously on top. A pair of mugs dangled from one hand, and a jug from the other. 

"Here, let me help with that." Kystrel rescued the mugs and jug, tucking it into the crook of her arm before grabbing the bread. They went upstairs, and he directed her through his room again, out onto the little south-facing balcony. There was a small table out here that she hadn't noticed before, and Haldir set the tray on it. 

He took one of the mugs, and filled it from the jug with a clear amber brew. "The twins brought it back from one of their expeditions, and insisted on figuring out how to brew it." Haldir gave her a rueful look as he filled her mug. "Legolas banished them from the kitchen for months." 

Kystrel chuckled briefly. "Why are you telling me that? I'm not exactly a welcome guest, after all." There was an edge of bitterness to her voice, and she almost thought she saw him wince. _Hah. Haldir, flinch? Not that arrogant bastard._

"No, you haven't been." He reached for an apple and, pulling his knife, began to peel it. "You've been a prisoner." 

"Why?" Kystrel set the untouched mug onto the table, crossing her arms. "Yeah, I tried to steal something. You could have reported it to the local constable. And you have to have been able to conceal what you are, or those twins never would go all over the place, and you give the impression they have been for a very long time. Not to mention you had to go and buy the cold box. And probably a generator to go with it, since I didn't see any sign of this house being connected to the power grid." 

"People see what they want to see." Haldir set the apple peel aside, keeping his gaze on what he was doing. 

"I wouldn't have told anyone what I saw. I still won't. Because no one would believe me." 

"There are those who would, Kystrel." Haldir raised his gaze to meet hers. "And some of those people would be more than happy to get their hands on us, and torture us. Or worse." 

She dropped her gaze, trying not to squirm uncomfortably. 

_He's right about that, you know. Scientists wouldn't care that they're living beings. They'd probably just dissect them, or experiment on them. Just to see what would happen. _

Fuck off. I don't need you to tell me that. Kystrel reached out to grab an apple, and bit into it, using it as an excuse not to talk for several minutes. 

"So you plan to keep me here for the rest of my life, don't you?" She looked up at him, the question acid.

* * *

Haldir suppressed the urge to wince at the biting tone in Kystrel's voice as she asked him, "So, do you plan to keep me here for the rest of my life?" 

_Hmm. She's got you there, Haldir. I believe that was your original intention. _

Oh, shut up. Haldir watched Kystrel silently for a moment. "That was the idea, after you saw what we are." He held up a hand to stall her protest. "Yes, I know you have said you wouldn't tell anyone because you didn't think you'd be believed. But you haven't given us any reason to trust you, Kystrel." 

"Look, I'm not stupid. I'm not going to try to run. Not when I know you can kill me before I get to the road." She scowled at him. "And I'm still not telling you who hired me. I can't. I won't break contract like that." 

A smile twitched at his lips. "And you said there was no honor among thieves?" 

She rolled her eyes. "There isn't." She picked up a piece of cheese, turning it in her fingers a moment before eating it, studiously avoiding his gaze. 

"I think there's one thief with honor," Haldir said softly, looking out over the forest. "She hasn't betrayed the name of the person who hired her, no matter how many times those holding her captive have asked. And there is little incentive for her do to so, except for her honor." 

"I don't believe in honor." Kystrel's voice was quiet. "I told you that. I have no use for it. I'm simply looking out for my own interests." 

Haldir shrugged. "I have not met anyone else who would have held out on the name for so long. Especially when it would have earned them their freedom the first day." 

"More fool they. You don't get good contracts if you don't keep the ones you make." Kystrel shifted in her chair, leaning back to put her bare feet up on the railing. "And as much profit as there may be in lifting from the unsuspecting, you can't garuntee you'll find something useful every time. Contracts are better for a steady income." 

He looked over at her curiously. "Do you put everything in terms of personal gain and loss?" 

Kystrel looked up at the sky, squinting her eyes against the sunlight, taking a sip from her drink. "Why not? You gain knowledge, you gain experience. You gain or loose wealth, friends, family. Doesn't everyone put things in terms of gain and loss?" 

"No." Haldir frowned, shaking his head. "Sometimes there is no way to put an emotion, or an action, into terms of gain or loss. I neither gain nor loose anything staying here to watch the rings. And how can one put friendship in terms of gain or loss?" 

There was silence from Kystrel for a long moment. "Do you really loose nothing watching those trinkets? I mean, you four are the only elves I know of outside of books. And the rest, well, if those books in your library are to be believed, they've all left. Leaving your four alone. The only ones of your kind." She looked over at him, her grey eyes unreadable. "And not a she-elf in sight. How do you deal withÉ wellÉ" she trailed off, blushing. 

Haldir felt the tips of her ears warm, and returned his attention to the forest, unsure if he could say anything without stumbling over his words. 

"Or perhaps you're all gay?" Kystrel giggled at the odd look he gave her. "Come on. Don't tell me you've never heard anyone use that term?" He shook his head. "Homosexual?" Another shake. "Likes guys?"

* * *

Kystrel raised an eyebrow as she tried to explain what gay meant to Haldir, and tried not to snicker when he went bright red, and stammered out a reply that wasn't entirely intelligible. She failed, giggling madly as he glared at her, then let out a shriek as her chair toppled over, knocking the jug of drink off the table as she flailed about trying to keep her balance. 

A moment later, Haldir was smirking at her as she stared up from underneath sodden hair, her shirt plastered to her body. She glared at him, fiercely willing him not to laugh, and growled when he did so, using the edge of the table to haul herself to her feet. She reached out to grab his mug, and dumped the contents of it over his head, exchanging glare for glare for a long moment. 

Faces twitched at the same moment, and they burst out laughing, drawing Legolas from the hallway to see what was going on. He looked confused at their laughter, and took a sniff of the air. 

"What is so amusing about getting yourselves drowned in the twins poor attempt at what I think was meant to be ale?" 

Kystrel shared a look with Haldir, and shook her head, trying not to snicker. A smirk from him broke her concentration, and she burst out laughing again, gripping the table to keep herself upright. The other elf left, still mystified, and they took a long moment to get themselves back under control. 

"We should really get out of these things, and I need to get theÉ" Kystrel paused. "Beer, for lack of anything more descriptive, out of my hair." She glanced over at Haldir. "And since my room doesn't have a shower or bath, umÉ" She blushed, glancing down at her feet. 

"You are welcome to use the bath. I will wait until you are done," Haldir offered. 

_Come on! It's the perfect opportunity! You know you want to._ That inner voice of hers could be very irritating, and oh-so-convincing sometimes. 

"Well, I could use some help getting it all out of my hair." She raised an eyebrow, surprised she was actually trying toÉ She gave her head a mental shake, waiting for Haldir to reply.

* * *

Author's Notes: 

Laer4572 - Well, Kystrel is decendent from Faramir and Eowyn, and you could say there's a hint of Eowyn's soul to her, but I didn't intend for the good guys to be re-incarnations, persay. Though I do have some ideas for some off-shoot stories that aren't quite sequels, or prequels, involving other family of the main characters, at some point. There's a brief fic that goes with this one - I Walk Alone - that is a brief bit about Haldir. I might do some like that with each of the other characters. Character sketches, if you will, which will give more an idea of who may or may not be who. Though you've given me an interesting idea... 

And you are now officially responsible for the mayhem that is the backstory. I will be posting the other short ficlets that I have on as soon as possible. I must thank you very much for putting the kernal of an idea in my head that gave rise to the need for the backstory. 

Oh, and we will be seeing Faramir's reincarnation in a sequel. He doesn't feature in this story, and I will make a note now that the only one of those brought back are aware of their previous life. She (he? depends on the lifetime) will be coming in later, possibly in the sequel to this one. And for more information on the characters, and the upcoming stories, please see the website I will have the content updated this weekend to include the stories, and some of the character stuff. 


	8. A Bath

**A Bath**

Haldir blinked in surprise, wondering if he had heard Kystrel right. He didn't think that she'd want anyone around while she bathed, not with her almost fanatic obsession with privacy. "Kystrel?" He gave her an odd look, and flags of red rose in her cheeks.

"Um.. Nevermind.. Forget I said anything..." she turned away, heading for the door that led inside.

_You idiot! She was giving you a wide open invitation! Ai! You have to be the most dense person in all of..._

_Shut up._ Haldir was not in a mood to deal with the annoying inner voice today. He stood up, following Kystrel, laying a hand on her arm. She looked up at him, tilting her head a moment as if listening to something, and reached up to kiss him, her lips brushing his briefly before she pulled away, her cheeks flaming. He raised an eyebrow, touching her cheek with one finger.

"What are you blushing for, Kystrel?" He kept his voice pitched low, trying not to scare her.

She couldn't seem to get out a coherent word, and fled towards his bathing room, her face scarlet. He followed her, intrigued by her reaction. As if she was attracted to him, perhaps.

_Hmm. Perhaps she is? _That voice sounded sarcastic, and annoyed. _She's trapped in a house with you as the only company she can sount on being around, and has been for the last several months. After all, the twins are out on night patrol, so they're asleep all day, and Legolas takes the day watches half the time, to get away from your temper._

Haldir imagined shoving a gag into the voice, and stalked towards the bathing room, pausing in the doorway as he watched Kystrel slip out of her sodden shirt, the water splashing into the tub. She was mumbling to herself, as if arguing with someone.

"...someplace warm. And sunny. With cabana boys. And no arrogant elves too handsome for my sanity."

He slipped up behind her, his feet making no noise on the cool tiles. "What is a cabana boy?"

* * *

_Well, that was brilliant, Tre. Hope you didn't blow it completely by running off like a scared little girl._

"I am not scared!" Kystrel muttered, turning on the tap, and waiting for the water to warm before putting the plug into the bottom.

_Hmph. You're acting like it._

"I am not. I just want to go someplace warm, and sunny, with cabana boys. And no arrogant elves that are too handsome for my sanity." She pulled the shirt off over her head, wrinkling her nose at the smell of beer on it.

"What is a cabana boy?" Haldir's voice made her jump, and spin, her eyes widening when she found out how close he was.

"Um... Haldir." She smiled nervously, holding the shirt up to her chest.

He smiled, his eyes lit with something more than the normal internal light, and reached out to close a hand over hers. His fingers were warm against hers, tugging at the fine material of the shirt. "You didn't answer my question. What are cabana boys?"

Kystrel flushed, trying to tighten her grip on the shirt, and nearly ripping it. She grimaced, letting it go, keeping her eyes fixed on a point on Haldir's chest. "Uh.. the guys who bring drinks at really nice resorts."

There was a soft chuckle, and Haldir folded one hand around her fingers, bringing them to his lips and laying a soft kiss on the tips. "Is that all?"

"Well..." she trailed off, squirming, certain her face was redder than a tomato. "Most of them are really cute. Or so I hear," she added hastily, not sure why she was suddenly uncomfortable about her near-obsession in cute guys.

"Hmm." He ran a thumb over the pulse point in her wrist, and Kystrel shivered, wondering what he was up to. His lips ghosted over her palm a momement later, and he whispered, "And what about 'arrogant elves' and your sanity?" His breath feathered across her wrist, and Kystrel felt the shirt drop from her other hand, staring at him.

A blond brow went up when she didn't say anything, and strom-grey eyes held hers as he ran his thumb over her pulse again. "Well?" His voice was low, and she felt a shiver go down her spine.

"Um..." She gulped, unconsciously leaning in closer, licking her lips. "That..." Her eyes fixed on his mouth, and she suppressed another shiver. "That ceretain elves are too handsome for their own good," she whispered.

Just as her lips were about to touch his, Haldir leaned past her, and she heard him turn the water off. "Your bath is ready," he said softly, his lips near her ear.

Kystrel clenched her teeth against the frustrated scream that wanted to come out, turning instead to test the water. It was hot, and the tub three-quarters full. Perfect for a nice long bath to soak away the smell of beer, and the sting of frustration. _Except the bastard isn't showing any signs of leaving._

"I don't need an audience," she snapped, not bothering to turn around and look at Haldir.

* * *

Haldir leaned past Kystrel to turn off the water before the tub could get too full, noticing the frustration that bloomed in her eyes. She spun away from him, reaching out a hand to test the water as he stepped away from her. She didn't turn back as she straightened, and he let a smirk touch his face, slipping silently out of the tunic and trews he'd been wearing.

"I don't need an audience, you know," she snapped, her frame rigid.

He placed a hand on either shoulder, and leaned forward to whisper in her ear, "I wasn't planning on being an _audience_, Kystrel." He felt the shiver under his hands, and the sudden tensing. She looked over her shoulder at him, surprise in her eyes.

He raised an eyebrow, supressing the urge to wrinkle his nose at the smell of the brew in her hair, and her cheeks went bright red. She turned her head away quickly, stepping away from him to quickly pull off her leggings before slipping into the steaming water. She sunk down to her chin, her eyes shut, and an expression of pure bliss on her face.

Padding across the room, he pulled a bottle of shampoo from the counter, and a jar of soft soap, setting them with soft clicks next to the tub before sliding in next to her, watching the expression on her face for a long moment before reaching out and brushing a thumb across her cheekbone. Her eyes snapped open, and met his gaze, curiosity in the grey depths. She remained leaning against the side of the tub, simply watching him. He found her hand under the water, and let his long fingers encircle her wrist.

Using the trapped limb, he pulled her over to him, turning her so her back was to him. Reaching over the edge, he picked up the cool ceramic bottle of shampoo, using his thumb to work the stopper out of the neck. He waved the bottle under Kystrel's nose, smiling at the hum of approval she gave him, and released her trapped wrist. A handful of the heavy liquid settled into his palm as he tilted the jar, pausing to let it warm before working it into her hair.

* * *

Kystrel drew in a deep breath as Haldir brought a bottle of shampoo around, waving it under her nose. She'd never seen a bottle like it, and she was startled at the pleasent fragrance coming from the bottle. "Mmm." _Smells lovely. I wonder what they put in it?_

She heard the ceramic bottle click on the floor, and then long fingers slid into her hair, the scent of flowers and greenery overcoming the smell of the beer, and she closed her eyes as he massaged the shampoo into her thick hair, reveling in the sensation. She wimpered when Haldir pulled his fingers out of her hair, and heard a soft chuckle from behind her, then the trickle of water as he lifted his hands to pour clean water over her head. She leaned her head back slightly to keep the suds from running in her face, and yelped as she slipped on the bottom of the tub.

A pair of strong arms caught her before her head touched the water, and Haldir drew her back up, continuing to rinse the shampoo from her hair. She turned, opening her eyes, and Haldir turned so his back was towards her, tilting his head back slightly so she could reach the braids that held his hair back from his face.

Shifting so she was on her knees, Kystrel tenatively reached out, sliding her fingers into the thick mass of his hair. _It's so soft. It feels like silk,_ she thought to herself, carefully working the damp strands loose of the braids.

* * *

Haldir heard the soft splash of water as Kystrel moved, her fingers sliding slowly into his hair. Her fingers were gentle as they loosened the plaits that hung on either side of his face. Her hand brushed over the tip of his ear, sending a shiver down his spine, and he drew in a shuddering breath. Behind him, Kystrel froze for a moment, then he felt her fingers lightly brush over his ear again, and he bit back a hiss of pleasure.

He saw her hand reach over the side of the tub, bringing up the bottle of shampoo, returning his favor, though he swore she purposely let her hands and fingers brush the tips of his ears several times. "If you keep doing that, Kystrel," he said softly, his eyes shut as he tried to maintain his control, "can you handle the consequences?"

She shifted in the water again, pouring water over his hair to rinse the suds from it, but said nothing. He opened his eyes, turning back to face her again, raising an eyebrow at the flush on Kystrel's face. Placing the knuckle of one finger under her chin, he lifted her face to look at him, catching her gaze before she could look away. There was curiosity in her eyes, but it was overshadowed by uncertainty, and no little amount of fear.

"What are you afraid of, little bird?" he whispered in elvish, and she wrinkled her nose.

"Don't call me little bird." Kystrel replied in the same language, her accent lighter than he had expected it to be. She dropped her gaze from his, her eyes resting on his mouth. Leaning forward, he caught her lips in a gentle kiss, his thumb tugging gently at her chin as his tongue flicked out, tasting the faint hint of ale and apples before her mouth opened to his.

* * *

Kystrel stared into Haldir's eyes, seeing the hunger in them, and felt a curious uncertainty, and a jolt of fear. If given someplace to break in, she could do it without breaking a sweat. Put her in the roughest neighborhoods of London with a small fortune in jewelry to fence, she'd walk away without so much as a flicker of fear. But this... _I don't know what I'm doing! Why did I let myself get into this mess?_

A frown touched his face, the hunger dampened by confusion. "What are you afraid of, little bird?" he asked in elvish, his voice soft.

"Don't call me little bird." Kystrel spoke quietly, her eyes dropping to Haldir's lips, unwilling to meet his eyes. She blinked as he leaned forward, his lips soft against hers, tasting of apples and beer, and something else she couldn't name. His thumb on her chin tugged, and she parted her lips, his tongue flickering over hers. For a long moment, she simply let him kiss her, her eyes closed, before he coaxed her into responding, her tongue tenatively brushing over his lips.

When they came up for air, her eyes met his again, and there was a smile in them, a gentle expression she'd gotten a glimpse of only once before. She blushed, and looked away, biting her lip slightly. His hand touched the side of her face, a thumb brushing along her cheekbone as he tilted her head to look back at him.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, remembering what she had done last time they'd kissed.

"For what?" He looked confused a moment, and she raised a hand to touch his cheek, right over where she'd smacked him three months before.

"What happened last time. I..." She trailed off, licking her lips, and he placed a finger over her mouth before she could continue. He shook his head, his expression saying better than words that what had happened than was forgiven, and forgotten.

He reached over the side of the tub again, bringing up the jar of soap, holding it out for her to take. Kystrel raised an eyebrow, lifting the lid to sniff at the contents, her eyes widening.

"It smells heavenly."

* * *

Haldir laid a finger over Kystrel's lips before she could try to apologize. He'd tried to forget about the incident, and didn't need a reminder. He brought up the pot of soap to distract her, watching her expression as she opened it.

"It smells heavenly," she whispered, reaching in to scoop out some, a smile twitching at the corners of her lips. "Turn around, so I can scrub your back." She raised her eyebrow again when he didn't move. "That _is_ why you handed me the soap, isn't it?"

He shrugged, moving so she could get at his back. Her fingers were gentle, tracing the lines of scars that marred the skin.

"How did this happen?" Kystrel's voice was quiet, her fingers lingering on the scar next to his spine. "It looks like someone tried to take out your spine with a cleaver."

"It was an axe, but I suppose it feels much the same." Haldir's tone was as subdued as hers, and he firmly banished the memories of how he recieved that particular scar once again, back to the dark corner of his mind where he could ignore them.

Kystrel was quiet for a long moment. "It must have taken a dedicated... healer, or something, to fix that up."

Haldir shrugged, uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was taking. "She was."

"Who?" There was puzzlement in her voice, and she stopped scrubbing, her fingers resting on the middle of his back.

"Eowyn."

There was silence for another moment. "She was the niece to Theoden, right?"

Haldir turned back around to face her, and she snatched her hands back, her face flushing. He took the soap from her, and she turned away. Setting the jar back onto the floor, he began to slowly rub her shoulders, kneading at the stiffness under his fingertips. She leaned into his hands, a soft sound coming from her that sounded suspiciously like a purr.

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you, Laer4572 and Lady Melisande Grey, for your reviews!

Laer4572 - I hope you enjoy the chapter, and have you had a chance to read the ficlets of the backstory yet? If not, go ahead and read the ones I have up. I'll be posting more as I write them, mostly around this, and the sequels to this (among other projects).

Lady Melisande Grey - smirks Yes, dearheart. Well, anyway, hope you enjoyed the latest installation, and watch for more.

Ah, and one more note to all. This fic will be coming to a close with one more chapter and an epilogue. The story will continue in it's sequel, 'Taming the Storm', in which we will be seeing events through Legolas's point of view and that of Kystrel's friend April Ellyson, who has made an appearence here as Kystrel's conscious. I hope you enjoy it as much as you have enjoyed this one!


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